The Lost Concerto

by Helaine Mario

  “He’s going to be okay, Maggie. I’m going to meet my son.”

  She wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. If it’s the last thing I do, she swore to herself. She said, “We’re wasting time. Where is Victor?”

  “He’s here. That’s Celeste’s car parked next to us.” He turned to pull at some clothing in the back seat. “There’s an old sweatshirt here somewhere, maybe a wool hat. This storm is really battering the coast. It will be cold out there on the water. You’ll need—”

  “Water?” She could hear the note of panic in her voice.

  His look was questioning as he handed her the warm shirt. “I told you, Victor’s here at Cassis harbor.” His hand waved toward the wet darkness. “Over there. He’s been living on that yacht for the past year, since his wife died.”

  “He’s on a boat?. Sweet Mary, I didn’t think…” Her voice trailed off as she clutched the clothes to her chest and pressed her forehead against the cold window glass. Squinting through the heavy rain, she could just make out the small red lights shifting and blinking on a huge black shape that was darker than the night. Huge. It had to be half a football field in length.

  A boat.

  Black, wet fear engulfed her.

  Then the night came alive with the throttle of powerful diesel engines.

  “He’s leaving!” cried Zach, throwing open the door and running from the car. “Let’s go. Now, Maggie!”

  Maggie looked up at the ship. It was black and huge against the sky, rocking dangerously in the angry sea. She froze, heart hammering in her chest. I can’t, she thought in terror. Then, I have to. For TJ.

  And for Brian.

  Without another thought she dropped the clothes to the seat and followed Zach into the storm.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO

  THE PORT OF CASSIS. AFTERNOON, JULY 11

  The afternoon sky was midnight dark. Rain and seawater blew in crashing curtains across the harbor, driving the crew below decks. Under cover of this curtain, the two crouching figures made their way up the short gangplank and dropped down to the deck.

  She felt his cold lips and the scratch of his beard against her ear. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m scared to death!” she hissed back. “What now?”

  “Come here.” Zach pulled her across the deck into a dark and blessedly dry passageway. “They’ll be casting off any minute. We’ve got to find TJ.”

  “And Victor.” She turned toward the stairs. His hand shot out to grip her sleeve. “Where the hell are you going?”

  She pulled away from him. “I’ll make him tell me where Brian is.” Her voice was ragged with fear, on the edge of hysteria.

  “Get hold of yourself, we’ve got to split up. I’ll go to Victor, he trusts me. I’ll find out about Brian, I promise you. Just find TJ. Bring him to—”

  The sound of booted footsteps on a metal stairway. A moment later, when the crewman on watch glanced through the doorway, the dark passageway was empty.

  * * *

  Feet apart for balance, Victor Orsini stood in the center of Le Destin’s grand salon. With every roll of the ship, brass lamps swung slowly above his head, casting shifting shadows on the polished teak walls. In the trembling light, the darkly textured faces in the Lippi and El Greco oils glowed with an eerie life.

  “Stop your damned crying, Celeste.” Orsini handed her a full crystal snifter.

  He felt the shudder of the massive engines under his feet as the yacht pulled away from its moorings. As he raised his glass to his lips, a huge wave hit the starboard bow, crashing seawater against the windows and sloshing brandy against his shirtfront. Celeste staggered, crying out in fear.

  The storm was worsening. The new stabilizers would be tested tonight.

  He turned to her. “Calm down, I said. We will get to Cannes and ride out the storm in the harbor. Then we will worry about Gideon.”

  “I don’t think so, Victor,” said a low voice from the doorway.

  Orsini swung around.

  Zach walked into the salon and stood in front of the man who had changed his life.

  * * *

  It was very dark in the narrow hallway as Maggie moved down the passageway, gripping the handrails for balance. At each door she stopped and turned the knob. Most of the rooms were locked.

  She was midway down the passage when the deck shifted under her feet. She froze, listening in panic to the ominous throbbing of engines somewhere deep below her.

  The ship was pulling away from the dock!

  Immediately the nightmare’s images assaulted her. The broken boat, whirling black water, the white hand reaching for her. Fight! she told herself fiercely. You’re not in the water, you’re not drowning. Fight for TJ. Fight for Brian.

  Her hand closed on another doorknob. “TJ,” she called. “TJ, it’s Maggie. Where are you?”

  She listened, knowing how well he could communicate. Unless… Don’t think about it. “Bang on the wall, honey, I’ll find you!” she said, as loud as she dared, against the door. She held her breath. But the only sound was the growl of the engines and the slam of water against the boat.

  Then, over the whine of the wind and engines, she heard it. A whistle. Toward the end of the passageway, someone was whistling the opening bars of Zach’s piano concerto.

  * * *

  “I want the truth, Victor,” said Zachary Law. “Did you order your wife’s death?”

  “She took my son from me. I sent Dane to bring them home.” The heavy bull-like face stared at him. “You think I killed her?”

  “I don’t know what to think anymore.” Zach’s head came up, eyes pleading. “You took me in, Victor, when I was strung out. Gave me work. Trusted me when I was beyond trusting. Sat with me late into the night, when sleeping was too dangerous.” The words caught in his throat. “Took the gun out of my hand that night…”

  “Then you should trust me now,” said Orsini.

  “You’ve been more like a father to me than my own father. Where is TJ, Victor?”

  “You must try to understand, Gideon. I only—”

  “Your son is mute because he witnessed his mother’s murder.”

  Orsini’s eyes blazed in the shadows. “The O’Shea woman told you that?”

  “Please, Gid,” cried Celeste, moving to stand between the two men. “She lied to you! TJ is here, safe with us.” A wave crashed with shuddering ferocity against the hull. Celeste cried out again as the lights blinked off, then on. Zach steadied himself against a heavy oak table.

  “You’ve got TJ back,” said Zach in a strange voice. “What about the trade? What about Maggie’s son?”

  “So you know about him?” Orsini’s powerful shoulders tensed with sudden anger. “And now you’ve come to corner the bull in his labyrinth.” Orsini stared at the rain hurling like silver daggers against the yacht windows. “You fool. Magdalena O’Shea betrayed you, too. Why do you care what happens to her son?”

  Zach’s arm shot out to grip the neck of Orsini’s silken shirt. “The betrayal is yours, Victor. Where is her boy?”

  “Let it be!” cried Celeste. “Let Victor take care of that woman.”

  “That ‘woman’, Celeste, is the mother of my son.” Zach ignored her gasp of shock as he locked his eyes on Orsini. “Maggie was used, too. Just like the rest of us. She didn’t come to France to find you, Victor. It was me she wanted to find, all along. The father of her son.”

  “She was married to Johnny O’Shea. She’s here because of him.”

  “She’s here to tell me I have a son, damn you. Where is Brian, Victor?” His strong fingers tightened on Orsini’s shirt. “Where is my boy?”

  “It’s too late,” said Orsini.

  * * *

  Hurry. Maggie eased the bright blade of her son’s army knife against the latch. The whine of the engines changed, and she fell against the wall as the deck pitched beneath her. The breakwater, she thought in panic. We’re leaving the harbor!

  Hurry.
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  Just a little more…

  Click!

  The door swung open and TJ flung himself into her arms.

  She snapped the knife shut and pushed it out of his sight, deep into her jeans pocket as she hugged him tightly. “It’s okay, honey,” she whispered. “Gideon is here. I’ll take you to him.”

  The boy shook his head back and forth frantically and began to pull her toward the stairs that led up to the main deck. His eyes were huge and frightened in the thin face.

  Was he so afraid of his father? Something was very wrong.

  “What is it, TJ?” Her heart was pounding as loud as the waves against the hull. She ran after him up the narrow stairway.

  The heavy door at the top of the steps swung open. Cold wet air rushed down at her.

  The boy made a sound like a cry.

  She raised her eyes.

  Dane’s head and shoulders were silhouetted against the rain-black sky.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-THREE

  MEDITERRANEAN SEA. JULY 11

  “You!” Maggie stared into Dane’s cold eyes.

  TJ turned to her with a cry. She flung her body toward the terrified child.

  But Dane was closer. His hand shot out of the darkness, caught the boy’s shirt, and pulled him through the narrow doorway.

  “TJ!” Maggie ran up the stairway and out into the storm.

  Dane stood against the pitching rail, holding the struggling boy against his body. Beyond the railing, the sea crashed in white-foamed anger against the jagged cliffs. She could see the orange harbor lights, big as moons through the fog. Close, she registered, through her shock and fear. We’re dangerously close to shore. The wind and water were forcing them inland.

  Toward the rocks.

  Dane, watching her face, smiled in the stormy light. “You are right to be afraid, Juliet. I told you that we would meet again.”

  TJ made another sound, high-pitched and fearful.

  She locked on the yellow eyes. “Let him go, Dane.”

  “You know my name?”

  His silky voice made her blood run cold. There was no Michael, no Zach to help her now. What am I going to do? Beckett’s words swam toward her. Find a weapon, create a diversion.

  As if he’d heard her, TJ began to thrash in Dane’s arms. “Mmm…Mmm…” His lips worked frantically to communicate.

  Dane’s eyes dropped to the boy. “You want to speak, Thomas James?” he murmured. “I see that I’ve waited too long to take care of you.”

  Maggie seized the moment to move closer. Now she was positioned within reach of—what? Her frantic eyes searched the deck. Rope, life preservers, a fire extinguisher, a long metal pole with a hook on the end of it…

  “TJ!” she shouted.

  The child focused on her and she stamped her foot. “Con brio!” With fire.

  The child twisted in Dane’s arms and crashed his foot into Dane’s shin.

  “Fucking brat!”

  Now! She flung herself toward the fire extinguisher.

  Everything happened in slow motion.

  Dane lifted the child into the air just as the yacht shuddered and pitched abruptly to starboard.

  In the shattered light she saw Dane fling out his arms.

  She watched in horror as the child arced over the railing with a silent cry and disappeared into the churning blackness.

  “No!” screamed Maggie.

  Dane cursed and lunged toward her.

  She slammed the heavy metal canister into the side of his face with every ounce of her strength.

  Blood splattered across her chest. She saw his body falling backward.

  Fee gave her life for her son. Her hand reached out blindly to clutch one of the life vests.

  I will not let this child drown.

  Then she was over the railing and hurtling down into the blackness.

  * * *

  “What was that?” cried Zach. He lifted his chin, listening intently. “Someone screamed. Who else is on board?”

  “The crew. TJ—”

  “Dane! Is Dane here?”

  Victor shrugged. “We had some business.”

  “Oh God damn,” shouted Zach, running toward the door.

  * * *

  It was the nightmare!

  Spinning blackness closed over her head. Cold, numbing. Paralyzing.

  Blind terror washed over her. Her arms and legs fought the choking darkness. Churning salt water pounded in her ears and seared her burning lungs.

  She clawed at the water in terror. Suddenly the sea flung her out into the wild night, and she felt the air on her face. Gasping for breath, she fought to stay on the surface. “TJ!” she screamed.

  Could he hear her above the roaring of the storm? Find him. Please God.

  The whirling water sucked at her clothing, dragging her down. She held the orange life jacket in a death grip against her chest, flinging out her free arm to search the heaving blackness. “TJ!”

  He could swim, she knew he could swim, she’d seen him in the pool.

  A towering wave lifted her high, dropped her, then crashed over her in a thundering burst of silver needles. Foaming seawater poured into her mouth, down her throat, burning her stomach. She choked and gagged and went under.

  Plummeting, whirling darkness. The crushing black weight of the sea.

  I won’t die, dammit.

  Not in the sea.

  Not like Johnny.

  Orange moons shimmered above her. Harbor lights! She thrust toward the moons.

  Air! She retched into the darkness.

  “I’m coming, TJ.”

  A hand!

  She twisted sideways, groping, clawing, reaching out.

  Gone.

  Johnny, take my hand...

  No, this time the hand of a little boy. There! Fingers!

  She gripped with inhuman strength and dragged him against her.

  “TJ,” she gasped against his cold cheek.

  “Mmm.” He clung to her, sucking in great gulps of air.

  “I’ve got you,” she said into his ear.

  Somehow, she forced the small stiff arms into the life jacket before the hungry water could suck him away from her. It was too big for the child, and he slipped down, sinking like a stone into the blackness.

  Hold him!

  Her frozen fingers reached into the sea, locked onto his pants. She groped for the life preserver straps, secured them around the small chest. Then she pulled him tightly against her heart as they tumbled together in the wild raging water.

  Whatever happens, I will not lose this child.

  Unless… She thought of the hand in her nightmare.

  Unless I’m pulled down. If I’m pulled down, I’ll set him free.

  Please, please let me be brave.

  Then she heard it. A sound like drums under water.

  What? She clutched the child against her, straining to see through the crashing sheets of water.

  Another wave caught them, lifted them high. There! Just past the harbor lights. A phosphorescent foaming, a massive blackness, glistening against the wild sky.

  Her ears throbbed. It was so hard to think. What was that sound?

  A deep thunder, like being caught inside a giant, roaring shell.

  Her heart lurched as an avalanche of white spray swept over them. Breakers!

  And then they were caught in a frothing cauldron of water, falling, foaming, tumbling, spinning out of control. A great drumming sound filled her head.

  The rocks! The cliffs of Cassis…

  * * *

  “He’s taken the motorboat!” Zach leaned over the rail, searching the white-capped water through the dark curtain of rain. “TJ and Maggie must be with him! Hurry, Victor! Bring the yacht about! We’ve got to follow—”

  “Not you, Gideon.”

  “No, Victor!” Zach heard the terror in Celeste’s voice. “Don’t hurt him!”

  Zach turned and found himself staring down the black barrel of a Luger.

  “D
on’t do this,” said Zach.

  “I will not let you take my son,” said Victor.

  “TJ and Maggie are in trouble,” said Zach. “I’m going after them.”

  Orsini raised his arm. Celeste screamed and threw herself at Orsini.

  * * *

  A mountainous wave, black and shimmering in the broken light, hurled them up into the foaming sky. Then they fell, plunging down, tumbling wildly, spinning toward the shining wall of rock.

  The churning water dragged at the child like a hungry animal. She thought her arms were being torn from her shoulders. “I won’t let you go,” she gasped. Somehow, she held on to him.

  A sound like a battering ram, and a rushing vortex of water. We’re going to die. She closed her eyes and held on to the child and felt the raging sea suck them down into the darkness.

  Hold him up, her heart cried. Just hold him up. Do it for Fee, let me be as brave as she was.

  She held her breath, lungs burning in her chest. A surging crescendo of sound. Body falling into blackness.

  It was the nightmare. She was going down. She was drowning...

  Desperate to save the child, she jerked her arms from the jacket straps. She thrust his small twisting body toward the surface, holding him above the water, pushing him toward the precious air.

  Help me, Johnny! I know you’re here with me. Help me save this child.

  A sudden pressure against her back propelled them up, up through the black water toward the dark night sky.

  Cold air on her face!

  Lungs bursting, she gulped a breath. Another.

  A sound like a rushing freight train.

  A wall of black rock hurtling toward them. She screamed.

  A giant fist slamming into her chest.

  A small body torn from her arms.

  Darkness.

  CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR

  THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST. JULY 11

  There was sand in her mouth.

  She tried to lift her head slowly and felt a shooting pain in her arm.

  She opened her eyes and stared at a bright orange life jacket. Memory flooded back.

  “TJ!” The small body lying next to her was inert.